On 15 May press representatives attempted to conduct a protest against recent pressure on freedom of expression and press. The representatives of newspapers Azadlig, Yeni Musavat, Bizim Yol, Gundelik Azerbaijan, Ganun Journal, Turan News Agency were again dispersed by police, without even a chance to read the resolution. The picket of about 50 journalists ended up with reading resolution at Baku office of Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly. (16-MAY-07)

Written by Shahla Ismailova/HRH Baku on the basis of materials from Turan News Agency and IRFS; photo by Yeni Musavat

At the planned time in Sabir Garden, police dispersed the journalists before any of them could even gather. “Realny Azerbaycan” Newspaper Chief Editor Shahvalad Chobanoglu asked that the police allow him to the resolution of the protest. However police did not permit this, and instead grabbed the resolution out of Chobanoglu’s hands. Then the police beat “Realny Azerbaycan” employee Samir Kazimli and were rude toward Natig Cavadli. All of the action’s participants were harshly distanced from the front of the garden. After this, the protesters gathered at the Baku office of the Helsinki Assembly and read the resolution. They also decided to conduct a protest every week on Tuesday.
 
Human rights activists also participated in the action.

Resolution 
The resolution contained the following demands for Azerbaijan’s government:    
• To adopt soon the law “On defamation,” which has been called for by the Council of Europe,
   European Union, OSCE and U.S. State Department.
• To imprison soon the murderers of “Monitor” Magazine Chief Editor Elmar Huseynov and to serve
   justice to these people.  
• To find and punish the people responsible for violence and attacks on journalists.
• To release all political prisoners and prisoners of conscience, as well as journalists that are
   imprisoned for political reasons, including Eynulla Fatullayev.
• To put an end to the bogus court cases against press organs and journalists.